Thicker than water
by Ivy Pseudonym
Summary: "Whoever said that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,' was an idiot, Draco Malfoy had decided". Hermione is lonely, Draco is lonlier. A fight, a glare across a hall, and a meeting in a forest. Its amazing how much things can change. ON HOLD!
1. End of the year

**Author's note:** I started writing fanfics when I was 12 on another website, and when I was 14 I moved abroad, and I kinda fell out of it. But now I feel I'm ready to fall back into it again. This is a Dramione, which I have read alot of, because I actually love them, but never really felt good enough to actually write before, so constructive critisium is very welcomed. This is also my frist fanfic on here too. This first part - to call it a chapter would be like calling a mole hill Ben Nevis - might seem abit dull, but I'm just setting it all up. It should get better, or so I hope. Otherwise, feel free to Avada me, or send me chocolate chips. The latter is prefered, they are my writing tools (:

**Read and review please (:**

**Disclaimer: **I own absolutly everything. Harry Potter from his scar to his toe nails is mine. My name is J.K. Rowling and I own Harry Potter everything **LOL JK **I'm a 16 year old girl who should be studying for exams but would rather sit on her computer all day writing fanfics because she wants to be a writer.

**Part 1.**

Whoever said that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,' was an idiot, Draco Malfoy had decided. The person who had said that deserved to have their spleen gouged out with a spoon then thrown off the astronomy tower. Whoever had said it was a liar. Whoever had first said it, was, in Draco's opinion, a hope-destroyer and a heart-breaker. Because, in someone first saying this to an unfortunate soul, said unfortunate soul would then have this 30 letter, 6 word, 8 syllable phrase as their hope, then their prayers, and eventually their demise. And anyone who believed in this phrase was also an idiot, Draco concluded. _Well then_, the annoying voice in his head pointed out, _that makes you a bit of a moron then doesn't it?_

Pushing off from the ground Draco Malfoy angrily began what had to be the fifteenth lap of the lake that day. Taking out his anger on a well trodden path of dirt and rocks was neither constructive nor productive, but it gave him something to do, and that would do well enough for now.

The sun was bright and joyful, mockingly so, depending on how you saw it. The lake seemed to glow as the squid lazily floated on the surface enjoying the warmed rays. The grass looked lush, green and fresh, and blew lightly in the breeze. The angst-ridden teen had his hand buried in his trouser pockets and his shoulders hunched against the light and warmness of the summer's morning.

"Promise me you'll write to me?" Hermione insisted as she walked in the middle of her two best friends, down the slopping lawns towards a large tree.

"Hermione, you say that every year, have we failed you yet?" The gangly ginger boy replied.

"No, but you aren't exactly what I'd call consistent with your correspondence," the curly haired girl remarked.

Harry laughed as he two best friends in the world glared at each other. "Hermione, I promise as soon and as often as I can, I will write to you."

"Yeah," Ron continued, "and I'm sure mum wouldn't mind if you came to stay for a bit too. And Ginny will want to do girly stuff with you too." He added.

"I'd love that. I'm visiting my cousins in France with mum and dad for a few weeks, but after that defiantly." Hermione grinned.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they walked down towards the lake, and took a seat in front of the large oak tree.

"I still can't believe it." Harry mused.

"What?" Ron asked.

"This is it; another whole year gone. That in a few hours we'll all be on the train back to London, tonight I'll be back with the Dursley's."

"I get what you mean mate." Ron agreed.

"It's been a good year though," Hermione commented. "I mean, exams were harder than I thought they would be, and I didn't do half as much studying as I had planned, and the Frankie the Furry rebellion in History of Magic really had me stumped, and in Potions I really wish I had a chance to finish the fattening and sliming potions work –"

"Don't really see why we had to do that one anyways. Either eat more chocolate frogs, or don't." Ron chipped in.

"Oh hardly Ronald," Hermione scowled.

"The point Hermione?" Harry prompted, eyebrows raised.

"The _point,"_ she said, throwing one last glower at Ron, "is that it's been a good year, even if it hasn't lasted long enough. We won the Quidditch Cup, and the House Cup. We passed most of our exams. It hasn't been that bad, really."

"I guess." Harry decided.

They fell into an easy silence again. Harry gazed out toward the lake, Ron was trying to get stones to skim across the lake, and Hermione plaited a lock of her hair.

"Who's that I wonder?" Ron suddenly asked, pointing to a figure on west side of the shore, walking in their direction.

The others squinted, trying to make it out.

"Urgh," Harry groaned. "It's Malfoy. "

"What's he doing out here?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, I don't care. But he can sod off right now." Ron growled.

As Draco came to complete his sixteenth lap of the lake he hadn't noticed the arrival of the trio. His head was still down as he approached them, unaware of their presence.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

Draco's head shot up and he looked around dazed. Lost in his own thoughts and memories he came back to reality with a bump.

"I wasn't aware it was illegal to walk around the lake on a bright summer's day." Draco drawled, his voice barely even, angry at himself for being caught off guard.

"Well then, tottle off like a good boy now, why don't you?" Ron suggested sneering.

"How's that pig sty of your house, Weasel." Draco retorted instantly, "I heard a rumour that one of your brothers is working with the minister. How much did you father have to sell to bribe the Minister's assistants? Sell the Weaselete to white slavery? What a shame."

"Shut it, Malfoy." Harry warned, pulling out his wand.

"Look," Hermione interjected, not wanting to spend her last few hours at Hogwarts before summer in Dumbledore's office, "we're just sitting here enjoying the last morning alright, Malfoy? So are you. So just go continue walking wherever you were going alright?"

Malfoy set his jaw, and inwardly kicked himself for leaving his wand on his nightstand. A jeer about Mudbloods came to his tongue, but he bit it back, if Potter wanted to duel, he had no weapon. He scowled, then continued walking past them, he would make it seventeen laps before he would go back to the dormitory and finish his packing.

"Preferably keep on walking, and don't come back." Ron muttered under his breath.

"Let's go and finish packing." Hermione suggested standing and trying to break the tension.

"I guess so." Harry agreed, and he and Ron followed her back up to the castle reluctantly.

:::

As the train began to chug its way back to London, the three companions fought their way down the corridor bustling with students, trying to find an empty compartment.

"Move it midgets." Ron barked, jostling through the crowd.

"Ron, really," Hermione reprimanded him.

"Well, my feet hurt, I'm hungry and this place is full of short people."

"You were that height once too, you know." She pointed out.

"Hermione, Ron was never that height. He's always been a loping giant." Harry mock shook his head in pity of her naivety.

"Watch it." Ron snapped, whilst the other two laughed.

After battling for an empty compartment, they finally found one right at the end of the train.

"At last," Ron sighed, collapsing into one of the seats by the window. "And midget free too. What a bonus." He smiled to himself, before pulling out a liquorice wand, and biting the end of it.

The two boys started talking about Quidditch, so Hermione pulled out a book from her bag and settled down to read it.

"You are kidding right?" Ron asked.

"What?" Hermione asked, looking over the book at him.

"We left school an hour ago, and you're reading already."

"I borrowed it from Paige Marsh in the year above. It's the book for Ancient Runes I'm taking next year, just thought I would get ahead."

"You've been out the building for an hour!" Ron exclaimed horrified.

"Really Ronald, you've known her for five years." Harry said in a mock voice of Hermione's. She frowned at both of them before settling back into the book and turning the page loudly.

They were later joined by Ginny and the twins, who sat with them and joined in their light conversation. And as it always does, the way back to Kings Cross felt a lot quicker than the way to Hogwarts, and soon they were disembarking, gathering relative trunks, owls and cats, before waiting to be allowed through the gate back into the Muggle world.

The group met on the other side, and Mrs Weasley rushed over, embracing them all somehow simultaneously.

"Now, Harry, I expect you over before you're birthday, is that clear? I'll sort something out with Dumbledore. And you too Hermione." She beamed at them.

"I'm in France for a few weeks, but after that I'd love to." Hermione smiled back.

"I'll be in touch. See you soon." She said, before shepherding her heard towards the exist.

Hermione looked around and saw her smiling, waving parents a few meters away, she began to walk over to them, a huge smile on her face.

Out of her peripheral vision, if she had looked, or maybe she did see, but cared not at the time to acknowledge, a lone blond teenage boy stood of to the side, with no waiting family, frowning jealously at his apparent enemies, wishing for nothing more than a part of the attention.


	2. Back at Hogwarts

**Author's note; **Wow. Thank you to every one of you that has reviewed this. I really am shocked I got that many reviews in a few hours. The fact that more than one person out there actually likes this and is reading this is just...wow. Thank you to everynoe for reviewing/favourite-ing or alter-er-ing subcriby thingy. I'm posting part two now, in utter thanks to all of you. You have a very good taste in fanfics ;) you all deserve a cookie. This one isnt very long, but its relevant later on. Things will get abit jucier later on, promise ;) I'm trying to write most of this story out on word now, so you should be on regualr updates every couple of days, because I should be starting my work experiance this week and other things, so that might mess up the regularity (is that even a word) or my postings - though in the past, I was never really very regular.

Just to say, I will try and reply to every review I get. I feel if you're taking the time out to read and review, you deserve a reply. So any questions or whatevers, just shoot.

Ok, I'll shut up now. Enjoy. Ivy, x.

**Disclaimer;** Still a 16 year old with nothing better to do...

::::

_**A few months later**_...

"Ron? Ron! RONALD! For Heaven's sake, give me a hand would you?" Hermione demanded, heaving and huffing, her frizzy hair dishevelled, trying to stow away her trunk.

"Geeze Hermione," Ron muttered darkly as he lifted the trunk easily and stowed it for her.

"I'll go find us a compartment shall I?" She said somewhat flustered, her nose in the air. A feeble meow came from the wicker basket next to her as she picked it up swiftly and headed off in the direction of the train.

"Woman," Ron muttered, shaking his head sadly.

Hermione pushed her way through teary eyed first years and burly fourth years, trying to find an empty compartment. It felt like only yesterday she and the other two had been trying to find a compartment after leaving Hogwarts.

Although she was slightly sad summer was over, and there would be no more of Mrs. Weasley's pancakes drowned in maple syrup waiting for her in the mornings, and no more gnomes for Crookshanks to chase at dusk, Hermione was glad to be starting school again.

"Hey Hermione, come sit with me." She looked up and saw Ginny waving at her, her arms sticking out of a compartment a few doors down. Hermione forgot that she was meant to be frustrated and angry, and smiled, lifting the meowing basket over her head, managed to squeeze through the crowd to the compartment.

"Here." Ginny said, reaching and taking the basket and placing it on one of the seats.

"Thanks" Hermione smiled.

She took a seat and sighed deeply. Just then, the whistle blew, calling the last of the passengers to the train. A few minutes later, Harry and Ron arrived, Luna following dreamily behind them.

"Could have come to find us, Ginny, we've been trawling through compartments for ages." Ron growled, collapsing next to his sister.

"Aww didums, I'll make sure I'll hold your hand next time, so you don't get lost."

"Shut it."

The train chugged out of platform 9¾ and was soon steaming past green fields and rolling hills.

The meowing and scratching from the basket on the opposite seat was getting louder and fiercer, so Hermione released the latch, and a whirlwind of cat jumped out hissing. Crookshanks looked around unimpressed, before jumping into Ginny's lap purring and curling up.

"That cat," Ron grumbled.

"Anything else you want to complain out? Global warming? World famine?" Hermione snapped.

"What?"

"Never mind," realising Ron wouldn't get it, but Harry chuckled.

Ron, Harry and Ginny began planning Quidditch tactics for the coming year; Luna turned the latest edition of the Quibbler upside down and began to read. Hermione pulled another book out her rucksack and buried her nose in it.

The ride was easy and carefree for the most, as it always was. The group filled up with sweets from the trolley continued laughing and talking as the sun began to sink into the horizon.

After changing into their robes, and coaxing an unimpressed Crookshanks back into the travel cage with a chocolate frog, the group disembarked. Ginny and Luna left them, and made their way through the crowds to their own friends.

"Lets grab a carriage, I want to get a good seat, I'm starving." Ron said, eagerly pushing through the crowds, Harry and Hermione following in his slip stream.

"It doesn't matter if we're the first or the last Ron, we still have to wait for the first years to be sorted." Hermione reminded him, sliding in to the carriage next to Harry.

"Bugger, I forgot about them. Urgh."

Harry and Hermione laughed at him as the carriage led them up to the school.

After the sorting and feat, the full trio began to make their way to the dormitory, but only to be held up by a traffic jam just outside the grand hall. Harry craned his neck, trying to see what was going on, but couldn't see anything.

"What's the hold up?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Harry said, still looking around. "I can't see anything."

"I bet this place is very impressive to you Potter, Weasel and Granger, compared to the shacks that you're used to, but some of us want to go back to the dormitories."

The three turned around, and in front of them stood Draco Malfoy. His drawling voice had deepened more over the summer, and he was now as tall as Ron.

"Get a life, ferret." Harry replied, playing bored.

"You know, Scarhead, I've always wondered, do you and the Mudblood get it on?" Blaise said, he had come up next to Malfoy, and had joined it. "Because that's all you can get, apart from the house elves, or does that make Weasel jealous?"

"You towo really are pieces of flobberworm." Hermione spat.

"Rather be flobberworm than a Mudblood, that's for sure." Draco sneered.

Throughout the years, Hermione's sensitive skin had calloused over somewhat, but every now and then, a jibe or two would find a slight kink in the armour and stick its sting in. Her eyes glassed over slightly, and she set her jaw, turning her head.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall appeared. "What's going on here? Move along. All of you." Her piercing eyes lingered momentarily on the Slytherins before she continued forward, pushing through the students. Soon, the crowd began to ease and the Gryffindors walked quickly up the stairs, before Malfoy pushed Hermione over the edge.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, turning to Hermione after they had cleared the second flight of stairs.

"Yeh, I just forget sometimes how malignant he is." She wiped her eyes quickly, before attempting to smile lightly at him.

"Good job McGonagall came when she did, I was about to break his bloody nose. Snide bastard." Ron muttered darkly.

"Hippogriff," Harry said to the fat lady as they reached the portrait hole. She smiled at them, before swinging open. The three friends headed straight for their favourite seats by the fire, and enjoyed the rest of their evening, as though no Slytherin had ruined their night at all.


	3. Secret Place

**Author's note;** Thank you to all the fabulous people who have faourited, story alarted and reviewed. Each comment makes my day. I'm hoping to keep updates to every other day, and I'm trying to write them ahead in advance. Please keep reviewing, constructive critisisum welcomed (:

**Disclaimer; **Still 16, still should be studying (my music textbook is open next to me, that has to count for something right?)

:::

_Maybe I wouldn't rather be a flobberworm, as appose to a Mudblood, but it would be pretty close_, Malfoy thought to himself. He had just caught them as he was leaving the Great Hall. He hadn't really been in the mood for baiting them, especially Granger, but when Zabini had shown up, he had to say something.

Draco shook his head, and looked into the mirror in front of him. He had grown a lot over the summer, in more ways than one. Not only was he taller, more muscular, but now he was expected fill his father's shoes, and begin his transformation into a Death Eater. His fists clenched on the side of the dirty porcelain basin. His eyes glanced down to his left forearm, with his white shirt pushed up to his elbow. The skin there was pale and clear, but for how much longer?

He pushed off from the skins hard, angry at himself, though not sure for what. It was the morning after the confrontation, and no one was awake. It couldn't have been later than six thirty am, and the sun was just beginning to peep over the horizon. Seeing as it was a Sunday, and there were no classes, no one was in a rush to wake up, but not Draco.

The tormenting nightmares that had plagued him for weeks refused to give him respite. After laying awake for hours with Insanity sitting on the foot of his bed, ready at any time to turn around and join him under the sheets, he jumped out of bed, dressed hurriedly in a white button down shirt and dark jeans, and almost sprinted from the dormitory.

After realizing he was actually running from himself, he decided to laugh as appose to cry, then began wondering aimlessly around the castle, before heading to the broken bathroom that Moaning Myrtle haunted. He had prayed she wouldn't be in there and some God had answered his prayers, as if to spite him. So now someone chose to give a damn.

This was how Draco Malfoy ended up beyond tears clutching the edge of a grimy basin, unsure whether to continue, or throw himself off the Astronomy Tower right there and then. Deciding he would rather not die on an empty stomach, and feeling he at least deserved a last meal, Draco made his way to the Great Hall for an early breakfast. The place was, just as he had predicted, practically dead. A few Hufflepuffs, some scattered Ravenclaws, a couple of Gryffindors and a handful or Slytherin first years were all that occupied the hall. This somehow pleased Draco. He took his time on his pancakes, enjoying the sweet maple syrup making his lips sticky.

The ceiling of the hall was beginning to lighten into an optimistic blue, and Draco decided that if and when he was to jump off the Astronomy Tower, he wanted a thunder storm. Melodramatic, ironic and memorable. Not sunny, that would be a joke. He got up from the table and his feet unthinkingly took him outside, down the sloping lawns, and towards the forest. To some it looked ominous and filled with hidden rabid creatures, but Draco knew this was not the case. He walked down the dirt path to his favourite spot that had been his respite and his peace of mind last year. Light was now streaming in through the canopy onto his pale skin, and he liked the warmth it brought. He pushed his sleeves further up his arm and unbuttoned his shirt from two holes to four.

Breaking through the foliage he came to his clearing and couldn't help but smile. He strode over and flopped down easily in front of his oak tree. His back leaning against the trunk, and on knee up, and his arms behind his head, Draco smiled and sighed. Now he would wait.

It didn't take long for them to arrive. They lingered at the edge of the clearing, unsure of the guest. Draco kept silent and waited. A young one took a few tentative steps towards forward, its mother followed it protectively. Deciding he wasn't a threat it walked up to him. The fleshless, hairless beast came right up to Draco and nuzzled his knee. Draco reached a hand out and scratched its nose, and the Thestral whinnied in response. Soon the rest of the herd followed, and they began scratching in the dirt for bugs and rodents.

"I'm sorry." Draco murmured to the youngest foal, "I didn't think to bring you any food. I will next time, I promise."

Draco only realised time had passed by a slight rumble in his stomach. He didn't want to leave; he enjoyed the peace and quiet the clearing brought him. It wasn't clean; it would soon be covered in leaf litter due to the arrival of autumn, and it was inhabited by one of the most superstitious creature in the Magical world; it was more of a home to him than Malfoy Manor had ever been.

Reluctantly he got to his feet, brushed himself off, and began to make his way back to the castle. He had only just left when a rustle of leaves to the left of him made him freeze and his blood run cold.

No. They wouldn't be here. They couldn't be here. He knew they had wanted the mark embossed on his arm; they would hunt him down for that. Where they here? No. But who else would come to this place. No one he could think would ever want to come here. No one came into the forest but Hagrid.

Hagrid. That's who it must have been. Draco almost laughed aloud at his fear and stupidity; but rather over cautious than dead. He quickened his pace back to the castle, he didn't want Hagrid to catch him. The big oaf didn't have much of a soft spot for him, and he didn't want to give Snape an excuse to help him.

Breaking through the forest after about twenty minutes, Draco looked over his shoulder longingly at the forest, towards his clearing and the creatures, before reluctantly turning away, and making his way back for lunch.


	4. Same Place

**Author's note;** Part 4, not one of my best, I will confess, but a key part in the plot. Hope you guys like it, next update in a few days.

**Disclaimer; **I've just realised, I've never written anything that has Dumbledore speaking. I guess I dont fell special enough to write dialouge for him. I hope he doesnt mind.

:::

"'Ey, Berbyonie, bass me za solt wo odya," Ron said, speaking with his mouth full.

Hermione looked up at him from across the table. "Can you please repeat that, in English?"

Ron swallowed, "Hermione, pass me the salt would you?"

She frowned, reaching over and passing him the salt pot. He sprinkled it heavily over his steak pie before eating it in great forkfuls. If you would to call it eating, rather than inhaling.

Hermione wrinkled her nose, before turning back to a thick book propped against a pumpkin juice jug.

"What's the plan for today then?" Harry asked.

"Quidditch," Ron said, or at least, that's what they thought he said. He swallowed again before continuing. "I want to make sure I keep Goal Keeper this year. I don't want that slime ball McLaggen thinking he stands a chance." Ron looked up the table and glared at the burly boy sitting a dozen seats away, before turning back to his plate.

Harry laughed, "sure."

"I want to practice too." Ginny added, turning from her friend she had been talking to and looking at Harry.

"Ok." He nodded. "It'll make better practice for Ron as well, and it's more natural with two Chasers coming at you."

Ron nodded in response, still shoving pastry in his mouth.

"What about you, Hermione? Come and watch?" Harry asked her.

"Maybe later, there's a book I want to check out from the library, and I want to double check my Ancient Rune translation, just to make sure I didn't miss anything. "

"More like quadruple check it." Ron muttered.

Thus this was how Hermione had the afternoon herself. Although they were her best friends, and she loved them dearly, the constant Quidditch banter was starting to get to her a little. She had laughed to herself at how easily they fell for her library and homework checking story. She had gotten the book out just after breakfast, and she had checked her homework 6 times during the summer. They really didn't know her at all.

Pleased she had the afternoon to relax, but knowing she should go down to the pitch in a few hours to watch them, she made her way down the slopping lawns towards the forest.

The forest wasn't a place she usually liked to spend her time. It looked dark and scary, but in the sun it looked almost welcoming. She intended to go to a spot that Luna had introduced to her last year. It was quite coincidental that she had come across Luna walking past the lake one day, and Luna had asked her if she wanted to join her on a walk. This was how Hermione had discovered her secret spot.

After walking for about ten minutes, she turned down a less trodden path, heading towards the clearing. She was almost about to break the foliage when she had a rustling of leaves. She froze. Knowing it was probably Hagrid; she relaxed slightly but didn't move. She was still breaking school rules in being here.

She waited a few more seconds just to make sure the coast was clear before she broke through the shrubs to the clearing, and a smile instantly filled her face.

The Thestrals were already there, hooves scrapping at the dirt for insects and small rodents. She reached in her bag and pulled out a piece of raw meat, which she had asked Dobby to fetch her earlier. She threw it at the feet of a young Thestral foal and it practically ate it whole. She smiled at it.

After dividing up the raw flesh into smaller pieces, and making sure each beast had gotten a piece, she sat down at the foot of a medium sized pine tree and pulled out a book. It was a Muggle one, one of her favourites. The tattered spine and pealing cover was barely legible, but the words _Pride and Prejudice _somehow were clear enough to read.

The book had belonged to her mother when she was a child, and she had given it to Hermione the night before she left for her first year at Hogwarts. Hermione had read the book so many times, she practically had it memorised, but with the love of Darcy and old fashioned dresses, there was only so many months Hermione could go without carefully opening the hardback cover and delving in to its depths.

In reality, Hermione supposed it was a good thing she had read the book so often, because she wasn't paying full attention to the words on the pages, rather than the Thestrals. She could watch them all day. The ways the scuffed at the ground looking for bugs, the way the colts and fillies would nip at each other then run away. The way the mature members would just lazily scrap, eat a worm, then turn to the trees and munch on the overhanging foliage. Hermione really could have spent all day here.

After what felt like minutes as appose to hours, Hermione glanced at her watch and saw that the time was four thirty. She cussed under her breath and gathered up her things.

"I'll be back soon." She promised the Thestrals, patting the flank of the small foal she had fed first, before quickly rushing back through the undergrowth and heading towards the pitch.

Harry swopped down at her as she climbed into the stands.

"Where've you been all day?" He asked, hovering a few feet away from her.

"No where really. But I've come to watch you now, like I said I would." She smiled at him. He nodded and flew off back down the pitch.

"Right, now," Harry began to instruct, "me and Ginny will pass..."

Harry's voice became a blur of tenor as she pulled out the book again and delved back into her favourite world.

"Hermione? Hermione! HERMIONE!" Someone was shouting her name, she looked up. Ginny was hovering in front of her.

"Huh...wait – what?" Hermione stuttered; she had dropped her book in fright and bent down to pick it up.

"It's sundown, we're going back to get changed and have dinner. You coming?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be down in a sec." Hermione said. "Wait for me." She added as the ginger haired girl flew down to the ground.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were all waiting for her, broomsticks slung over their shoulders, when she finally caught up with them.

"Good practice?" She asked.

"Yeah, Ron caught most of them." Harry replied.

"Most?" Ron scoffed. "More like all."

"Haha! Not quite. What about the one that went between your legs?" Ginny laughed.

"That one doesn't count! I was ready!" Ron huffed.

"You're the Keeper, you're always meant to be ready!" Ginny laughed again.

"Shut up, or I'll tell mum you were the one who broke her self-draining bucket."

"You wouldn't," Ginny glared at him.

"Wouldn't I?" He raised a sly eyebrow up at her.

"Urgh." She sighed, defeated, Harry and Hermione laughed at them.

They got to the Entrance Hall, and headed back up the dormitory. They quickly changed while Hermione put her bag back in her dormitory.

"Hurry up Ginny!" Ron whined.

"I'm here! I'm here!' She called, running down the stairs two at a time and tripping on the last one. Harry, the nearest to the stairs caught her around the waist and steadied her. It was hard to tell who was blushing more when he finally released her, both looking fixatedly at different patches of carpet.

Ron, not noticing anything said, "Well c'mon then," and the group followed him out the portrait hole towards the Great Hall.


End file.
